


Someday when the world is much brighter

by reina



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 07:11:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2141814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reina/pseuds/reina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new addition to the family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Someday when the world is much brighter

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, look, it's not smut. Aha.   
> Transferred over from Tumblr. 3 years into the future.   
> I may have stolen the title from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.

     Roland wakes up to the sun, shining brightly through the crack in the curtain, that morning, making him groan lightly, turning onto his side. His first thought is how his mother had promised him a pancake breakfast and his second is that he needs to relieve himself. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he lets out a yawn, and he swings his legs over the side of the bed, before getting up and stretching his arms over his head. 

     He doesn’t register how eerily quiet the house is until he’s stepped out of the bathroom, making his way down the upstairs hallway.

     “Henry, wake up,” he calls out, grinning to himself with a sort of wicked smile as his knuckles connected with the door leading into his brother’s room. He hears an answering grunt from the other side of the door and continues on, making his way down the steps.

     The sun, shining in through the window from the landing, makes him squint and cover his eyes as he trudges towards the main floor. Expecting to hear the mumble of voices coming from the kitchen, he pauses when he doesn’t, and his brows furrow in suspicion. 

     “Mom?” he calls out carefully, his voice echoing in the hall. When he’s only greeted with persisting silence, he can’t help but feel like something is terribly wrong. “Dad?” his voice grows in volume, and he speeds up, rushing into the kitchen to find it empty. He calls out for his parents a few more times, searching every room on the main level before he runs up the stairs and bursts into his brothers room, panting.

     “Henry! Where are Mom and Dad?” he asks as soon as he spots the lump on his brother’s bed, indicating that the older boy hasn’t bothered in getting up yet. Henry only grumbles in response, making him let out a frustrated sigh. “Henry?” he stresses.

     “They’re at the hospital,” is the only response he gets before he hears the older boy’s breaths even out once more. 

     “What? Why?” Just as those words leave his lips, the door bell rings and he turns his head, looking out the door in confusion and trepidation. 

     Making his way back down to the main floor, Roland pauses before the door, his hand hovering over the latch.

     “Who’s there?” he asks, since he’s not quite tall enough to look out the peep hole.

     “It’s Mary Margret,” comes the cheery voice from the other side of the door, before he opens it to see the woman beaming down at him. “Go get Henry. We’re going to meet your new sister.”

~~~

     “She’s beautiful, Regina,” Mary Margret breathes, hovering over his mother’s shoulder, peering down at his little sister. Roland wonders if the woman is either lying or extremely nonjudgmental because her face is kind of ugly, he thinks, eyeing the baby’s pruney expression. He looks over to his mother, who’s got a similar expression as Mary Margret, all doe-eyed and happy, even though she looks exhausted. 

     Regina’s brown eyes meet his and he smiles a little, watching as her expression turns curious. “What are you thinking, Rolly?” she asks quietly. His cheeks colour as he thinks about lying to her, but from the knowing look on her face, he’s never really had a chance.

     “She’s kinda wrinkly-looking,” Roland replies honestly, biting down on his bottom lip. He looks up in surprise as both his parents start laughing, and he can’t help but smile hesitantly back at them.

     “Anyone would be wrinkly if they were floating in a water balloon for 9 months,” comes dry the response from his older brother, but when he looks over at him, Henry’s smiling down at her too. 

     “Do you want to hold her?” Regina says, tilting her head to the side. He glances down at the baby in her arms and nods quickly, moving to crawl up onto the bed. He watches as his father steps forward and carefully helps his mother shift over to make enough space for the both of them. 

     He holds out his arms and feels his heart rate quicken at the idea of holding something so small and vulnerable. 

     “Just keep one arm underneath her and make sure you support her head,” Mary Margret says, sensing his anxiety, arranging his arms as his mother gently places the small bundle in his arms. He cradles the small body to his chest, smiling down at her when she blinks up at him. Her eyes are dark, just like his, and he can’t help the short giggle that leaves him when her lips from an ‘o,’ her eyes widening comically. 

     Roland looks up just in time to see his father brush his mother’s medium-length hair over her shoulder and kiss her forehead. Regina seems to melt into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed wearily, making Roland scrunch his nose up at their display of affection. He knows, now, how babies are made— Jackson had told him and Henry had confirmed it when he’d asked,  _after_  he’d finished laughing for a good minute or two, of course. 

     His gaze returns to the baby’s face, only to find her eyes closed, her tongue poking out between her lips, and face scrunched up in concentration. 

     “Why is she making faces at me?” Roland asks, and Henry looks over his shoulder at her.

     “She looks like she’s about to fart,” Henry laughs. Not a second later, they all hear the tell tale sound of her doing just that, making Roland rear his head back. The adults all laugh, while Henry and Roland let out a groan. 

     “Looks like you boys have another competitor in your championship,” Robin says with a chuckle.

     “Must we talk about how all my children seem to have a strange fascination with passing gas?” Regina murmurs, her eyes still closed. She looks as though she’s about to fall asleep any second and Roland shifts closer to her, careful not to jostle either the woman or the baby. 

     “Of course not, darling,” his father says with a soft smile, leaning down to capture her lips in a chaste kiss before retreating. “How about we let your mother rest for a while?”

     Henry nods, walking around to stand beside Robin. “See you later, Mom,” he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek and following Robin to the door.

     “Coming Roland?” his father says expectantly. He looks over to Regina, to see that she’s opened her eyes and smiling at him tiredly. 

     “He can stay until the nurse comes around for Rianna,” she says, sensing his desire to stay by her side. His eyes dart to his father and he catches the way his lips quirk upwards as he nods.

     “As you wish, M’lady.”

     He’s going to enjoy this, Roland thinks, looking back down to the warm bundle in his arms. “Hey, sis,” he whispers, before leaning down and kissing the smooth skin of her forehead carefully. 


End file.
